Lollipop Lady Lorraine House is worried about speeding drivers at Geoffrey Field Infant School

Share

Get daily updates directly to your inbox

Thank you for subscribing!

Could not subscribe, try again laterInvalid Email

A lollipop lady who was nearly hit by a speeding car is warning that a child could be seriously injured or killed.

Lorraine House, 39, from Whitley, has been patrolling the Northumberland Avenue crossing outside Geoffrey Field Infant School for a year. She says she has repeatedly asked the council to do something about speeding cars and dangerous parking during the morning and afternoon school runs.

On Thursday, January 30, she was left so traumatised after a car nearly hit her, she was unable to patrol the crossing the next day.

“I thought I was going to end up in hospital,” said Ms House, who lives in Winton Road. “Just the week before a woman clipped a car door, causing the panel to fall out. This could so easily have been a child.

“And today (February 4) a woman driver mounted the kerb to park, and nearly had a man off his bike.

“When I said to her that she needed to take more care as this could have been a child, and that she would have gone ballistic if it was her child, she just looked at me as if I was sick.”

Ms House said she reported these incidents and others to the council and the police but no action has been taken.

“I was told a traffic warden would come round but I haven’t seen one,” she said. “The traffic police did show up but they were too early to see the problem. They need to come after 8.30am or after 3pm.

“It’s been going on for months.

“Inconsiderate drivers are speeding, parking on double yellow lines, across driveways, on corners and causing an obstruction to the No.5 buses, which cars have to swerve around if the buses can’t pull over properly. This all blocks my view, and is dangerous.

“I am so worried that if nothing is done soon either myself or a child are going to end up seriously injured or dead.

“But if you say something, parents just say they can park where they like. They don’t seem to realise that they’re putting children – possibly their own kids – in danger.

“I don’t get paid danger money. I do it because I want to keep the children safe but at the same time I don’t want to put myself in danger as I’ve got kids. It’s just a nightmare. I have to psych myself up to go in [to work].”

“Northumberland Avenue is a 20mph zone with traffic calming and we would ask drivers to respect that limit.

“School ‘keep clear’ zig zag markings are in place at the school entrance.

“Drivers should not park on the school ‘keep clear’ and risk a £70 penalty charge from the enforcement vehicle if they do. Geoffrey Field Infants is one of 47 schools across the borough regularly visited by the council’s enforcement vehicle.

“The council is aware of the concern about the behaviour of some parents outside schools. Where restrictions are being ignored by dangerous and inconsiderate parking we will take action against individuals.

“Speeding was recently singled out by local residents as the top anti-social behaviour concern in the first ever borough-wide survey.

“The council will continue to prioritise dangerous parking and speeding in response to residents’ concerns.

“In terms of Geoffrey Field, we and the school are aware of the concerns expressed by the crossing patrol officer and have referred these on to police, who are responsible for speed enforcement.”